Along with Battier, Heat pick up Curry who's reportedly lost 70 lbs. Plus, Billups got amnestied which leaves him wide open for the Heat if he can clear waivers.

I didn't even think about the Heat picking up Billlups, assuming Billlups wants to go there. That would be a damn good deal. Gives them the veteran leadership they were lacking at times last year and pretty damn good PG to boot.

---------- Post added 2011-12-12 at 07:12 AM ----------

This new Paul deal is bad. Hornets would get Kaman, a serviceable center, Bledsoe, a mediocre second year gaurd, and Aminu, a decent bench forward plus the Clippers first round pick they got from Minnesota. That would give the Hornets two picks in the top 10. Hell both those picks could be top three because the Hornets are going to be fucking terrible after this trade and Minnesota is likely also going to be a joke.

At least the Lakers deal contained a marketable star-ish player in Odom. This deal is purely building for the future which I'm not sure how much of a concern that is for the league. If they thought losing Paul for Odom was a bad deal for the franchise value, how about when the only marketable asset you get back is Chris Kaman lol. Maybe the Hornets are better served in the long run getting Sullinger and Barnes or some combo of top college talent, but short term this deal is even worse than the LA/Houston deal. With Scola, Martin, and Odom, the Hornets were getting three guys who could walk in and start tomorrow. They averaged 18.3, 23.4, and 14.4 points respectively. With Kaman, Aminu, and Bledsoe they aren't getting near that. They are getting an okay center and two bench players that average 12.4, 5.6, and 6.7 points. Not to mention that Odom and Scola both average 8 boards a game.

So basically the deals come down to three starters and a first or two bench players, a starting center, and a lottery first rounder. I don't see how this is better outside of the lottery pick. And remember, if this is indeed the deal, the Clippers are taking back zero additional salary whereas the Lakers would have been taking back two guys in the resubmitted deal. Bledsoe and Aminu both make jack squat but Kaman makes $11 million. The Laker deal would have had the hornets taking on about $26 million in payroll rather than the $14 million in this deal so that is better depending on where the Hornets are in terms of the cap floor.

Update: According to Chris Broussard, the deal at present is Gordon, Kaman, Aminu, and Minny's 1st rounder for Paul. Stern apparently wants Bledsoe tacked onto that as well and potentially even another pick. Safe to say that Stern is trying to kill the deal. No way the Clip is going to give up Gordon and so many other assets for anyone.

Update 2: The NBA may or may not have pulled out of the new CP3 deal.

Update 3: According to Bill Simmons, the deal is definitely off. NBA refused to move off its asking price. Pacers used amnesty on Posey and the Pistons bought out Rip Hamilton as expected.

---------- Post added 2011-12-12 at 04:37 PM ----------

Amnesty ends in about an hour and a half. Wonder who will get 11th hour fired or picked up. Interested to see if someone actually picks up Billups or lets him pick his own team. Rumor is Nets are interested along with the Magic.

Apparently Demps has completely been stripped of his authority to make moves for the Hornets and now two NBA executives under Stern are making all personnel decisions for the team. Hilarious. The NBA has essentially stripped a GM of all of his power just days after assuring everyone in the league that he was allowed to move CP3 and make other deals in the interest of the Hornets. Wouldn't be surprised at all to see Demps resign now. All the guy does is swing a deal to bring in the 6th man of the year, a first round pick, one of the best 2s in the NBA, and a real decent 4/5 guy in Scola for a guy leaving in 6 months who wants no part of the team and he essentially loses his job over it.

---------- Post added 2011-12-12 at 05:21 PM ----------

Originally Posted by RollTide

Deal fell through over New Orleans/NBA wanting Bledsoe in the deal I believe it was.

The deal wasn't nearly as good as the other deal, but even so, who in their right mind would give up four players and at least one first round pick for anyone. Glad the Clippers didn't cave on that move even if that would have been a damn fun team to watch.

My question is why. Why would Barea want to play for that horrible team unless they are overpaying. Why would the T-Wolves need another PG unless they expect Rubio to again be a non-factor, despite showing up finally, especially when you still have Ridinour who isn't awful.

My question is why. Why would Barea want to play for that horrible team unless they are overpaying. Why would the T-Wolves need another PG unless they expect Rubio to again be a non-factor, despite showing up finally, especially when you still have Ridinour who isn't awful.

I was wondering the same. Well I don't get the benefit of him or the T-Wolfs he isn't going to sale tickets or take them to the next level which you would think would not be hard but....

Amnesty ends in about an hour and a half. Wonder who will get 11th hour fired or picked up. Interested to see if someone actually picks up Billups or lets him pick his own team. Rumor is Nets are interested along with the Magic.

I guess his warning wasn't strong enough. Hours before he was free for the high cap teams, Clippers knicked him.

I guess his warning wasn't strong enough. Hours before he was free for the high cap teams, Clippers knicked him.

The Clippers aren't quite the Heat, but that will would be a damn fun team to play PG for. They have a lot of good young talent (which is what happens when you're terrible forever). Jordan is a decent center. Gordon is a top 10 2 guard in the league. Griffin is damn good. They could be a real decent team with that roster.

You know, assuming they don't trade away FIVE assets for Paul. The Lakers are apparently back making talks with the league in a trade that would feature Gasol but they'd need a team to supply some other talent like Houston was. Not sure who else they are going to try and deal in that move if they still plan on trying to get Howard also.

The Clippers aren't quite the Heat, but that will would be a damn fun team to play PG for. They have a lot of good young talent (which is what happens when you're terrible forever). Jordan is a decent center. Gordon is a top 10 2 guard in the league. Griffin is damn good. They could be a real decent team with that roster.

You know, assuming they don't trade away FIVE assets for Paul. The Lakers are apparently back making talks with the league in a trade that would feature Gasol but they'd need a team to supply some other talent like Houston was. Not sure who else they are going to try and deal in that move if they still plan on trying to get Howard also.

You know I just don't think Stern is going to give up a big player to the lakers I think if it's to the Clippers he will its just my tinfoil hat thinking thou.

You know I just don't think Stern is going to give up a big player to the lakers I think if it's to the Clippers he will its just my tinfoil hat thinking thou.

The package the NBA wanted from the Clip was just insane. I don't think Stern is going to let him go at all at this point unless the NBPA does file collusion charges, and has a chance to get the league found guilty, or if someone stupidly offers something like their top three young players and a couple of firsts. Both deals the NBA rejected have been beyond ridiculously great for the Hornets.

Nene turned down more money ($65 over 4) to stay in Denver ($67 over 5). Crazy money for a terrible rebounding center. Nene has comparable RBG/36 stats as LeBron James and a bunch of other forwards and guards. But that is the price you got to pay when there are about five good centers in the NBA lol. Just ask the Clippers who were forced to give Jordan that inflated contract thanks to the Warriors offer sheet.

Nene resigning for the Nuggets for 5 years. This guy is so dumb, honestly. He could've gotten the money he stands to make for a team that can challenge for a title.. just by taking a 2 year cut or so. But hey, I guess he showed he cares more about the money then trying to win a championship.

Nene resigning for the Nuggets for 5 years. This guy is so dumb, honestly. He could've gotten the money he stands to make for a team that can challenge for a title.. just by taking a 2 year cut or so. But hey, I guess he showed he cares more about the money then trying to win a championship.

Wait, what? Did you even read the deal he turned down (or my post two above yours)? Nene walked away from more money from the Nets. The Nets would have paid him $16.25m/year for four years. The Nuggets are only paying him $13.4/year over 5. So unless Nene thinks he is going to break in half in the next four years and wouldn't have been worth a one year contract at $2 million he is actually taking LESS money by a significant margin to stay and play in Denver. He seriously gave up probably $10-12 million to play for Denver for that one extra season.

And yes, he would have gotten a deal worth more than $2 million for one year four years from now. Darko Milicic got 4 years $20 million last year and he is freaking abysmal (Die Joe Dumars for not drafting Melo, Wade, Bosh, or the other 5 stars in that draft).

Howard is apparently off the table in Orlando. Interested to see if it is a ploy by Otis Smith to try and drive up his value in a trade to a desperate team or if Smith actually thinks the Magic can contend with their current squad to motivate Howard to stick around (Hint: No, No they can't because they are bad). So unless they are adding someone else to try and make the team better, I don't see how this works out for them in the end unless they are hoping to make bank at the trade deadline by sending him to a contender.

---------- Post added 2011-12-14 at 04:01 PM ----------

Originally Posted by Thallidomaniac

And Lamar Odom goes to the Mavs. I wonder how that will work out.

Meh-ly. They lost Chandler who was a huge part of their championship team. They lost Barea, another huge part of their run. Odom is a good player, but I don't see how the Mavs are better or even close to as good as they were last season. Unless they somehow manage to get Howard. Then they are going to be nutso ridiculous good. Could you imagine a team with Dirk and Dwight as the bigs? Yoikes.

as a laker fan, i was somewhat relieved the original trade for chris paul did not go through....all we were doing was exchanging one weakness for another, however, i am praying paul or the players association sues the league on his behalf to finally put stern in his place. i understand why NO needs paul to be attractive to a prospective buyer, but its not exactly a secret he is gone in 66 games, so what difference will it make in the end? the nba should never have bailed out the hornets in the first place by taking them over....it was and has been exposed to be biased conflict of interest.

when the rangers (mlb) were briefly owned by the league until new ownership was found, they allowed the team to keep making trades and trying to compete without directly influencing every move proposed and made. imo, stern should have let demps do whats best for the team, regardless of how it affected anyone else....it isn't any of their business....the other owners have their own teams to worry about.

on a side note, im sure cuban didnt have a problem getting odom for practically nothing...and with the news that howard is off the market for the time-being, im now even more worried kupchak is going to do something drastic to try and still trade for paul...mainly because the lakers as currently constructed are extremely flawed, and if nothing major is added to this roster, there is no guarantee they will even be in the playoff hunt by the time the trade deadline comes around.